Google Doodle: Earth Day

Happy Earth Day!

Let's celebrate the Earth Day by conserving energy, recycling, reusing, or even plant a tree. Even as simple as segregating our garbage bins can make a difference. Turn off our air conditioning and go out and enjoy the summer breeze. And don't forget to bring your ecobags. 

Earth Hour 2012

It's happening again. Earth Hour 2012 on 8.30pm, Saturday, March 31st. 

 

It's as simple as turning of the light when on that hour. But why limit it to just an hour? You can conserve energy whenever and wherever. It's a matter of reminding ourselves to take care of our planet just as we take care of ourselves.

Watch the Earth Hour 2012 video below.

The Bebeng Aftermath

A terrible view welcomed us when we had our walk in Marikina Riverbanks yesterday.

As the title say, here is what is left of the Marikina River. (click the images to view larger)

Notice the green part of the river banks, the water should be up to there. Now it’s filled with mud and garbage.

Piles of mud, garbage and water plants.

The lower stairs of the amphitheater.

Direction going to Marikina River Park filled with mud.

Still we are so thankful that this is just the damage of Typhoon Bebeng. We are so thankful that we didn’t experience another Ondoy. It’s almost two years now yet I still fear the possibility of high flood during typhoon.

one wall, one world

During our recent walk along the Marikina Riverbanks, I spotted these walls. These walls are painted by One Wall, One World, an environmental advocacy team from Boysen KNOxOUT. Their goal is to paint the walls with this new product to clean air.

How It Works
Boysen KNOxOUT contains photocatalytic titanium dioxide, (TiO2), which upon exposure to light, transforms ordinary water vapor to free radicals that break down NOx and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the two components of smog.

Harmful NOx gas is converted to nitric acid that is rapidly neutralized by alkaline calcium carbonate particle in the paint, producing harmless quantities of calcium nitrate and negligible amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) and water.

Click on the Panda to know more about the One wall, One world environmental advocacy.

My first entry to Green Mondays. Click the badge on the left to see the other entries.

Earth Hour 2011

March 26th 2011 marked the day of the Earth Hour and a lot of earth lovers participated in this worldwide yearly event. Everyone is encouraged to turn off their lights on 830 pm to 930 pm, local time. Did you turn off your lights?

image credit: blackberryempire.com

In my own small way, I decided not just to turn off my lights on Earth Hour but I decided to not my laptop for the whole day. If you know me well, you will know that it was not an easy feat for me. I am far too attached and addicted to my laptop and the internet. DK was suprised to see me not using my laptop when he woke up.

All I can think of are all positive effects. I saved electricity for a whole day in my own small way and I was able to finish two books! If I am always online and connected, I will never have the time to finish all those books in my reading list. 

So what did you on Earth Hour?

Turn off your lights now

Counting down the hours before Earth Hour. Don't forget to switch off your lights later in the evening at 8:30 pm. Or better yet, why not switch them off as early as now. It's summer and the sun bright outside, open those windows and let the fresh air in. If you want to listen to good music, head over to Bonifacio Global City to join the Street Party.

Image source: WWF.org

26 days before Earth Hour

Earth Hour is a global event organized by Word Wildlife Fund encouraging households and businesses to turn off their non-essential electrical appliances and lights to raise awareness against climate change. This event takes place every last Sunday of March. On it's third year, Earth our will take place on the 27th of March, 2010 and over a billion participants are expected to switch off their lights at exactly 8:30 pm and ends at 9:30 pm local time.

Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million homes and businesses turned their lights off for one hour to make their stand against climate change. Only a year later and Earth Hour had become a global sustainability movement with more than 50 million people across 35 countries participating. Global landmarks such as the, Sydney Harbour Bridge, The CN Tower in Toronto, The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and Rome’s Colosseum, all stood in darkness, as symbols of hope for a cause that grows more urgent by the hour. Read more in EarthHour.org

TikTokRok Climate Action

Tik Tok Pilipinas' Climate Action in Marikina Riverbanks was fun. Together with Daddy K, BIL #1 and Una went there to watch bands play, have a souvenir in their photo booth and just be there and enjoy the night. It's nice to listen to musicians share their thoughts on how they try and make the environment cleaner. It always starts within ourselves. But despite the efforts of hosts and artists reminding them to take care of their own trash, there were still a lot of empty food containers and plastic cups everywhere. If only we can implement to not use styrofoams in take outs, it would make a huge difference.

Tik Tok Pilipinas Photo Booth, only Php 20.

There was a wall climbing activity in the area. I've been dying to try that one for years but Daddy K can't join because no one would carry Una while we're up there, maybe next time.

Up Dharma Down were playing when we arrived there. Also learned that Armi, the vocalist lived in Marikina and was also affected by Ondoy.

Cynthia Alexander

Daddy K and Una with the TikTokRok information brochure

Weather We Like It or Not

We really have to make a move and make a change. Let's not wait for another Ondoy or Pepeng to terrorize our lives. Next time we won't be able to evacuate. Next time we won't be able to survive. Let's not wait for a next time to fight against climate change. We need not only make a difference in our everyday lives. Now we have to stand up and speak up. Let our voices be heard and join the Climate Action on December 12, 2009 from 3 pm to 3 am in Marikina Riverbanks.

Blog Action Day

Such a pity that we use plastic abundantly but we can't find a decent way to lessen it's waste. If we just think about it, it's not really hard keeping the environment clean. We just don't have to be lazy about it. What's so hard in putting that candy wrapper in your pocket instead of dropping it off the streets? There are a lot of stuff that we can do to help minimize waste.

Here are some of the things that I do recommend and some that I would try in the future.

1. Coffee addict? Then why don't you go ahead and buy that tumbler in your favorite cafe. You'll receive discounts everytime you use it with your purchase and you're cutting down on the paper cups used.
2. Are you a crafter who loves coffee? Then why don't you whip up a coffee cup cozy. There are lots of free patterns that you can use to make you own cozy. It's small so you can always bring it in your purse. Here's an example: link
   
3. Try reusing you plastic grocery bags, if it smells bad, wash it with soap, let it try and use it again. You can use it as a garbage bag or for the next trip in the market. Or you can keep it all and make new things with it. Check out http://www.myrecycledbags.com/ for ideas. You'll never know what you can do next with your plastic bags.
   
4. As much as possible, if you usually buy stuff that you can easily tuck in your bag then do so. Just keep the receipts handy to prevent misconceptions.
5. Check your grocery stores if they are selling market bags. This bags are pretty cheap and really useful. Some even offer it for free. See SM's Green Bag
6. Do you sew? How about making your own eco-friendly market bag. Morsbags are so in these day because they pretty much don't cost anything. You can use your old blankets or whatever stuff you can think of and sew it in the Morsbag way for a more sturdier bag. For more info: Morsbags
   
7. For crocheters (and even knitters) the Reduction Tote Bag is so useful. How about this Market Bag? There are a lot of free patterns in the internet that are really useful.
8. How about reusing used printer paper instead of throwing it into the shredder. You can use it to take notes, grocery list, to do list or whatever list that you can think of.
   
9. Try buying recycled papers. It's cheap and really interesting. My letter sets are made of recycled paper.
   
10. If you can't think of anything else to do with your trash, just neatly pile them all up and send it to the junk shop, you can even earn extra money with that.

Hopefully, this will help you get your move in making the environment cleaner. Don't limit yourself with these suggestions. Possibilities are endless and remember, little things meant a lot.